9 Fitness Myths

Everywhere you look, there are different sources of information on the next greatest fitness method. Trying to categorize a piece of information as fact or myth can be quite challenging, but it must be attempted if you hope to reach your fitness goals.

Here are nine of the most popular myths that have been unmasked for you. The sooner you learn the truth about exercise, the closer you'll be to achieving your desired results.

myth #1

More hours spent in the gym leads to better results

In reality: If you think making the gym your second home is a great way to get results, think again. Overtraining is a surefire way to stop any muscle growth — instead of your body rebuilding its muscle tissues, it'll continue to break it down. This means you'll actually start to lose muscle. You need to train smarter, not harder. When you are in the gym, give 110%. Push your muscles, then give them the rest they need to grow bigger and stronger. Make sure to do cardio training. If your workouts are taking much longer than an hour, chances are you are either wasting too much time between sets, or you're not training in the most effective manner.

myth #2

If you want to be strong, you need to get huge

In reality: Strength and size do not have a direct correlation. Power training (one measurement of strength) encompasses training that may not add any size, yet you can still see a great deal of strength improvements. If you look at many well-recognized martial arts experts — like Bruce Lee and Jackie Chan — they are very small, but incredibly strong. Their small sizes contribute to their quick speed; therefore, this is the best type of training for them. Obviously, some people will have the goal to bulk up as much as possible and that's fine. Just remember: Bulking up isn't necessarily a requirement to gain strength.

myth #3

In order to see maximum results, you must use the latest equipment

In reality: There are so many different pieces of fitness equipment out there, knowing what will deliver can be difficult. Truthfully, often the best choice is still a simple set of dumbbells. When using dumbbells to perform your workout, you will target all your core muscles. Dumbbells also offer the most variety of exercises you can do, which is critical in preventing plateaus from occurring. Finally, dumbbells are incredibly cheap to buy. So, if you don't belong to a gym, you can get a very effective, affordable workout in the privacy of your own home.